Chainguide with a taco bash... a chainguide without bash is just silly, as you'll either be bashing your frame or your chainring/chain... One of the best mods I made to my bike, have an expensive carbon frame, without chainguide/tensioner was starting to knick the upper chainstay with the chain on hard descents...

are there any cons to using a chainguide?
does using a chainguide negate the need for a bashgaurd?

tgif!

there are cons, but I think you'll find that the overwhelming majority of guys will take any possible con in a heartbeat for all the positives the chainguide offers. 1x is just a given. 2x is perhaps a slight bit more problematic with fit & performance, but even still, its a no brainer.

I just recently completed a Intense Carbine being that it does not have Iscg mounts and need to run a bashgard I went with a Xt triple crankset 38-26t rings and XTR Shadow Plus, would have prefered single chainring but a front derailleur acts as a chain guide to.and actually while I was researching options and using 38-26t I feel this may be the ultimate drive train setup for me,I built this for Enduros and AM and like the Idea of having the 38t for ascending and with the 26 have a nice gear range for difficult climbing,have a 28t coming to test very soon.

Some bikes are more prone to chain drop, my am bike I bought this summer with 2x10 definitely needed one, I went with an mrp 2x. Few things annoy me more than having to stop and fix my chain,and sometimes when things get hairy that guide can save me from a trip to the emergency room.

I just recently completed a Intense Carbine being that it does not have Iscg mounts and need to run a bashgard I went with a Xt triple crankset 38-26t rings and XTR Shadow Plus, would have prefered single chainring but a front derailleur acts as a chain guide to.and actually while I was researching options and using 38-26t I feel this may be the ultimate drive train setup for me,I built this for Enduros and AM and like the Idea of having the 38t for ascending and with the 26 have a nice gear range for difficult climbing,have a 28t coming to test very soon.

Running this setup also 38/26 and shadow plus rear derailleur xt and haven't dropped a chain yet. Another plus is its completely silent. Yeti asr5

I just recently completed a Intense Carbine being that it does not have Iscg mounts and need to run a bashgard I went with a Xt triple crankset 38-26t rings and XTR Shadow Plus, would have prefered single chainring but a front derailleur acts as a chain guide to.and actually while I was researching options and using 38-26t I feel this may be the ultimate drive train setup for me,I built this for Enduros and AM and like the Idea of having the 38t for ascending and with the 26 have a nice gear range for difficult climbing,have a 28t coming to test very soon.

Running this setup also 38/26 and shadow plus rear derailleur xt and haven't dropped a chain yet. Another plus is its completely silent. Yeti asr5

I disagree. Even on a hard tail I like a full guide with a taco. I'm a firm believer that a bash guard is a no brainer. It's such a simple thing to protect your bike. If I'm going to run a top guide and a bash guard, why not go with a full guide with the bash guard incorporated into it? I can't see any negative to it that would make a top guide and bash guard better.

Disclaimer: I no longer fix bikes for a living.
National Ski Patroller to feed my winter habit.

My previous bike had consistent issues with chain drop when things got rough and fast... An issue that really made it difficult to have a fun day in places like Downieville or Northstar.

So on my new bike (2013 Giant Reign 2) I got the MRP 2x installed before it even left the shop... The downside? Its pretty noisy when pedaling on the big chainring. That's the only downside after a couple hundred miles on the bike.

I disagree. Even on a hard tail I like a full guide with a taco. I'm a firm believer that a bash guard is a no brainer. It's such a simple thing to protect your bike. If I'm going to run a top guide and a bash guard, why not go with a full guide with the bash guard incorporated into it? I can't see any negative to it that would make a top guide and bash guard better.

if you need the extra protection then, yeah, go with a full guide. but on a hard tail you dont need a full guide soley for chain retention.

That's just daft. Can you bunny hop uphill over a rock garden that is 500 yards long or a downed tree stump that's 3 feet high?

To the OP a clutch type rear dérailleur and front derailleur will keep 99% of chains on. If you do a 1x you probably want an upper guide or you should look at something like the new MRP AM guide.

OK revise my post. Learn to bunny hop, learn to choose lines better AND practice some basic technique and a bash guard is not necessary. I can actually bunny hop 3 ft yes (39 inches if you want specifics). Besides that though, proper riding technique to get over large logs does not require a bashguard. People have been riding over downed logs since the late 80's without bashguards.

In my opinion a 1 X set up with a chainguide (no bashguard) is the perfect trail ripper set up. Add a clutch derailleur and it will be even quieter.

Ok sorry Danny MacAskill. Around here any set up without a bash and your teeth on the biggest chain ring you have would last a couple of months at best. Crank arms are beaten up too. It's not solely through poor line choices. The rocks are relentless and the line choices are pick your poison and momentum is hard to come by meaning a bunny hop would often put you straight in the air or land you on another rock. Unless you have an unlimited supply of rings a bash guard is a necessary insurance policy but I am sure you will tell me (and 99% of riders around here) that we are just sh!t riders with no technique, skills or line picking ability.

Ok sorry Danny MacAskill. Around here any set up without a bash and your teeth on the biggest chain ring you have would last a couple of months at best. Crank arms are beaten up too. It's not solely through poor line choices. The rocks are relentless and the line choices are pick your poison and momentum is hard to come by meaning a bunny hop would often put you straight in the air or land you on another rock. Unless you have an unlimited supply of rings a bash guard is a necessary insurance policy but I am sure you will tell me (and 99% of riders around here) that we are just sh!t riders with no technique, skills or line picking ability.

what's a dropped chain? seriously though, I run a MRP Lopes guide and haven't thought twice about it since installation. my FS bike is setup 1x9 and I think I've hit my chain on a just few rocks/logovers in a couple years. careful with degreasers and some lubes, though. they can make the plastic brittle and crack. ask me how I know.

Seriously chain guides on AM bikes are overkill and completely unnecessary with clutch derailleurs for single chainring! If running two rings with front derail you can get away without a clutch derail,proper chain length and set up will eliminate dropped chains!

Trek Remedy, if you don't have a clutch type derailleur you're going to need some sort of chain retention device. I run 2x9 SLX with integrated bashie and since I've had the Bionicon chain device I no longer drop chains. Bionicon is cheaper than a new derailleur.

even with a clutch derailleur there is a chance of dropping/bouncing the chain in rough terrain and drops. if I find a way to drop my chain using a guide I probably have bigger problems. that peace of mind it brings me is also nice.

Unfortunately for the sake of review - I'm not able to compare how my new frame and build rides with out the guide as I swapped the build from my heckler to a new blur lt frame. however the heckler without the guide was pretty noisy and suffered from the occasional chain drop on technical decents.

Fastforwrad to the new build the bike is silent on decent and i have full confidence that my drive train is engaged. (nothing worse then coming out of a technical section to find your chain has dropped)... and since this frame is lighter i don't notice the additional weight.

bottom line I'd recommend this type of set up to anyone who rides more aggressive terrain and doesn't mind a little extra weight.

I'm pretty sure I still dropped weight, even with the chain guide. my MRP lopes weighs about 100g. the shifter, ft derailleur, and two chain rings that I dropped easily doubled that. not necessarily the case in a 2x, though.

The Blackspire Stinger has been pretty awesome. Only two rides, but it survived a few freeride runs with jumps, drops, and bumps without dropping the chain even without a front derailleur. Chain is much quieter on the bumps and I can't hear the roller while riding at all. Great for $40 and a few grams.